Nigerian Parents Awarded £858,000 After Daughter Dies Following Weight-Loss Surgery in Turkey

The parents of a Nigerian woman who died after undergoing a low-cost weight-loss surgery in Turkey have been awarded £858,000 in compensation by a UK High Court.

Khelisyah Ashamu, a 26-year-old mother of one, died just eight days after undergoing a gastric bypass surgery at a hospital in Izmir in February 2019. She had reportedly struggled with her weight and was unhappy with the appearance of her stomach following a Caesarean section, prompting her decision to seek surgery abroad.

According to her family, Miss Ashamu engaged the services of Get Slim in Turkey, a British expat-run medical tourism company, in the hope of achieving her desired results. She paid £3,300 for the surgery and accommodation.

However, after the procedure, she became seriously ill and suffered a cardiac arrest following an exploratory follow-up surgery. She died in a Turkish hospital on February 9, 2019.

A coroner later determined that the cause of her death was gastrointestinal ischaemia — a lack of blood flow to the intestines — resulting from complications of the surgery.

Her parents, Toyin and Oyebanji Ashamu, subsequently filed a High Court claim against Tracey Ozdemir, who trades as Get Slim in Turkey, seeking compensation on behalf of their daughter’s estate.

Although Ms Ozdemir denied liability, the court ruled in favour of the Ashamu family. Delivering judgment, senior judge Mrs Justice Obi awarded £858,000 in damages.

The judge accepted expert evidence which showed there had been “inadequate post-operative monitoring and airway care” following the second operation carried out after the initial gastric bypass.

Mrs Justice Obi further held that Ms Ozdemir, as the “organiser” of a “package travel contract”, was legally responsible for the “proper performance” of the surgery and aftercare, making her liable for the failures that led to Miss Ashamu’s death.

Addressing the bereaved parents, the judge said: “I recognise how difficult these proceedings must have been for you and I offer my sincere condolences for the loss of your daughter.

“Of course, nothing this court can do can lessen that loss for you and your family, but I hope the conclusion of these proceedings will bring some measure of consolation.”

The case has once again raised concerns about the risks associated with medical tourism and the need for stronger safeguards for patients seeking treatment abroad.